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The future of Britain’s relationship with the rest of Europe will hinge on the success of a dinner between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on Wednesday, has emerged, as the EU’s chief negotiator warned that the possibility of a deal Brexit was now ”. very thin”.
Downing Street said the prime minister will join the president of the European Commission at his Berlaymont headquarters on Wednesday night, where leaders will seek to break the Brexit deadlock with a three-course meal.
Johnson will answer the Prime Minister’s questions in the House of Commons before flying from RAF Northolt to Brussels to dine with Von der Leyen, armed with a memo from his chief negotiator, David Frost, on the remaining obstacles to a historic trade deal. and security with the UE. He will return to Downing Street after the discussions.
Von der Leyen tweeted on Tuesday: “I look forward to welcoming British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tomorrow night. We will continue our discussion on the association agreement. “
Ten sources rejected rumors that Johnson had wanted to delay the meeting to allow the 27 EU heads of state and government to intervene in the discussions when they meet at the European council summit in the Belgian capital on Thursday. They insisted that the prime minister “categorically wants to avoid” such a scenario.
A deal is not expected to close at dinner, but Downing Street said that if there was progress and goodwill, the contentious negotiations could be expected to resume on Friday after the council summit.
EU leaders will be briefed on any progress when they meet, or they could trigger contingency measures without a deal from the bloc (keeping planes safe in the sky and borders) if the dinner ends in failure.
“Will continue to happen [Wednesday] if they can make any progress and it is worth it, ”said a senior UK official. Downing Street said it was open to continuing the talks through the weekend and beyond, but stressed that nothing could continue after January 1.
“We have been clear that the future relationship must conclude before the end of the year and the negotiations will not continue in the new year,” said a spokesman for number 10. “That has been our position at all times.
Speaking privately with EU ministers on Tuesday, the bloc’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier, who has so far resisted calls from some member states to activate contingency plans without the commission’s agreement, admitted that such measures they might be needed soon given the low chances of success.
“We are close to the time of needing urgent measures, which means a contingency plan for not reaching an agreement,” Barnier said, according to EU sources. “The basis for our future cooperation with the UK is more important than rushing now. We cannot sacrifice our long-term interests for short-term political goals. “
Johnson and Von der Leyen agreed on Monday night to hold a decisive meeting with just three weeks left for the UK to leave the single market and the EU customs union, with or without a deal.
Frost traveled back to London on Tuesday night to brief Johnson after finalizing an agenda with his EU counterpart that understands the remaining key differences to be discussed at the summit.
Barnier had said earlier in the week that he could not negotiate past the middle of the week due to a Commons vote on Wednesday on new legislation that would again violate international law by invalidating the clauses of the withdrawal agreement.
But Downing Street’s decision on Tuesday to drop all Northern Ireland-related Brexit clauses in both the domestic market and finance bills removed that obstacle to further talks.
Maroš Šefčovič, vice chairman of the commission, who has been working with Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove, said the move “removed a major obstacle.”
He said: “I hope this will generate positive momentum for the discussions on the free trade agreement. We are still very far apart and we do not hide this from anyone. We have removed a major obstacle from the road and I hope that we will also see the positive results of these very complex negotiations. “
The chief spokesman for the European Commission said Johnson and Von der Leyen would not seal a deal, but would try to find a reason to “hopefully move forward with the negotiations, which hopefully they could continue after that … This is uncharted territory. – we’ll have to see how this meeting goes “.
Earlier Tuesday, Johnson said securing a deal would be “very, very difficult.” “You have to be optimistic, you have to believe that there is the power of sweet reason to push this out of line,” he said. “But I have to tell you that it seems very, very difficult right now.
“We will do our best, but I would just say to everyone: be in a good mood, there are great options ahead for our country from any point of view.”
When asked if he would try to reach an agreement to the end, Johnson told reporters: “Yes, of course. We are always hopeful, but you know that there may come a time when we have to recognize that it is time to draw stumps and that it is …
“We will thrive tremendously under either version and if we have to go for an Australian solution that’s fine too.” Australia and the EU do not have a free trade agreement and there are tariffs on products, including 48% on lamb and 84% on beef.
Johnson’s cabinet met Tuesday morning and a spokesman said it was unified around the current position. “Obviously we want to continue trying to reach a free trade agreement, that has been our position at all times,” said the spokesman. “But the cabinet also agrees that any agreement must respect our sovereignty and allow us to regain control of our money, laws and borders.”
German European Affairs Minister Michael Roth said the outcome of the summit would depend on the “political will” of the UK government to seal a deal. He said: “What we need is political will in London. Let me be very clear: our future relationship is based on trust and security. It is precisely this trust that is at stake in our negotiation at this time ”.
Clément Beaune, France’s minister for European Affairs, said his government will not rush to sign an agreement that is not in its interest. “If when we look at it we see that it is not as good as not having a deal, we will not hesitate to veto it, as is the case with all other European countries that will make this assessment.”
